VFL player banned for importing performance-enhancing drugs

[RustyCage]

VFL player Wade Lees has copped an 18-month ban for importing performance-enhancing drugs.

Lees, 24, read his sanction in an email at Casey Scorpions training on Wednesday night - more than two years after he bought the fat-burning product online from the US.

Australian Customs intercepted the product, which contained traces of a banned steroid, and informed the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority.

Lees was then charged with "attempted use of a prohibited substance violation" and banned by AFL Victoria after Round 7 this season.

[RustyCage]

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/vfl-player-wade-lees-cops-18-month-ban-for-importing-performance-enhancing-drugs/story-fnelctok-1226541380732

AN AFL aspirant has been banned from all sport for 18 months for importing performance-enhancing drugs.

VFL star Wade Lees yesterday said he would not abandon his AFL dream despite being slugged with the ban by AFL Victoria.

Lees, 24, read his sanction in an email at Casey Scorpions training on Wednesday night - more than two years after he bought the fat-burning product online from the US.

Australian Customs intercepted the product, which contained traces of a banned steroid, and informed the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority.

Lees was then charged with "attempted use of a prohibited substance violation" and banned by AFL Victoria after Round 7 this season.

ASADA argued for a two-year ban at the AFL Victoria tribunal and would not respond yesterday when asked if it would consider appealing for a maximum 24-month penalty.

The authority told the Herald Sun it could not comment due to possible appeals.
AFL Victoria declined to comment until "all parties have exhausted their rights to appeal".

Lees told his VFL drugs tribunal hearing he did not know the product contained banned substances.

He told the Herald Sun yesterday that ASADA had argued that ignorance was no excuse.

Lees, who nominated for last year's draft after hitting career-best form as a tagger, was left depressed and out of pocket about $13,000 in legal and therapy fees and taking days off work.

"If I ever had to cheat the game I wouldn't bother playing sport. My aspirations are to play AFL and if I was to take performance-enhancing drugs and play good football I'm more than likely to get tested, so why would you take the risk?" he told the Herald Sun yesterday.

Lees said he bought the product from overseas to save costs, with the aim to lower his skinfolds to better compete with AFL midfielders in the VFL.

He said the VFL's drug education program was sub-standard.

"If the education was up to scratch all these incidents, like mine and Travis Casserly and Matt Clark wouldn't happen," he said.

Lees is eligible to return in 2014, with the seven months he was forced to serve this year counting towards the ban. He finished seventh in Casey's best-and-fairest from just five games this year.

Casserly is currently serving a two-year ban , while ASADA this year appealed Clark's nine-month sanction, wanting it boosted to two years.

[Q.]

Any idea what the banned compound is?

[Q.]

Casserly was banned for traces of pseudoephedrine

[Q.]

Clark banned for taking 'Hemo Rage', which back then contained ephedra and DMAA.

[Q.]

You really have to wonder whether these journalists do any research. It's completely unfair to accuse these blokes of taking steroids, when they were only taking OTC supplements containing mild stimulants that help supress appetite.

I bet in the Lees case, he ordered a fat-burning supplement that contained either ephedra or yohimbine, which are both legal in the US, but not here.

[daysofourlives]

You really have to wonder whether these journalists do any research. It's completely unfair to accuse these blokes of taking steroids, when they were only taking OTC supplements containing mild stimulants that help supress appetite.

I bet in the Lees case, he ordered a fat-burning supplement that contained either ephedra or yohimbine, which are both legal in the US, but not here.

Im not up on this stuff at all but what would be the the ramifications if an ammo or country footballer imported this stuff? Is it illegal?
Sounds to me like a very innocent mistake

[The Duke]

You really have to wonder whether these journalists do any research. It's completely unfair to accuse these blokes of taking steroids, when they were only taking OTC supplements containing mild stimulants that help supress appetite.

I bet in the Lees case, he ordered a fat-burning supplement that contained either ephedra or yohimbine, which are both legal in the US, but not here.

Im not up on this stuff at all but what would be the the ramifications if an ammo or country footballer imported this stuff? Is it illegal?
Sounds to me like a very innocent mistake

Looking to get your hands on this product daisy! They say a side effect is it makes ya hair fall out.

[Q.]

You really have to wonder whether these journalists do any research. It's completely unfair to accuse these blokes of taking steroids, when they were only taking OTC supplements containing mild stimulants that help supress appetite.

I bet in the Lees case, he ordered a fat-burning supplement that contained either ephedra or yohimbine, which are both legal in the US, but not here.

Im not up on this stuff at all but what would be the the ramifications if an ammo or country footballer imported this stuff? Is it illegal?
Sounds to me like a very innocent mistake

DMAA had been legal in Oz up until a couple of months ago and was a key ingredient in many 'pre-workouts', like Jack3D and Mesomorph. Very popular amongst the gym rats, but a couple of the lads I played footy with this year would put it in a shake before training or games (and I reckon that's a practice a couple of players at every club does) . DMAA was scheduled as an illicit substance after unsubstantiated media hype over people using the pre-workout for a night out on the town (utterly ridiculous) - but it is important to note that it has long been on WADA's list of prohibited substances.

Ephedrine and pseudoephedrine (How many of us have had a cold and popped some sudafed for a game?) are on WADA's prohibited list at certain blood concentrations. AFAIK, the former is illegal in Oz, the latter is restricted.

Yohimbine is derived from Pausinystalia yohimbe. The compound and the plant are illegal (why, why, why?!) in Australia, but not in the rest of the world. A lot of fat-burning, appetite suppressing fitness industry supplements contain it, so when someone buys it over the internet and imports it into Oz, it usually gets seized. I'm unsure of its WADA status.

So what is the rule and ramifications in regards to using WADA prohibited substances within amateur football? I don't know?

[heater31]

You really have to wonder whether these journalists do any research. It's completely unfair to accuse these blokes of taking steroids, when they were only taking OTC supplements containing mild stimulants that help supress appetite.

I bet in the Lees case, he ordered a fat-burning supplement that contained either ephedra or yohimbine, which are both legal in the US, but not here.

Im not up on this stuff at all but what would be the the ramifications if an ammo or country footballer imported this stuff? Is it illegal?
Sounds to me like a very innocent mistake

I know for amateur State Golf events on the entry form they say you can be drug tested....

Anything that is on the banned substance list could land you in hot water.

[Q.]

What is interesting is that both cocaine and methamphetamine are WADA prohibited substances. There's blokes pissing hot for this stuff all the time in the AFL and nothing happens, yet a VFL player gets a two year ban for taking some Sudafed for a cold. Grossly unfair.

And yes, it does appear that the three lads made innocent mistakes, but unfortunately you can't plead ignorance to these things.

[daysofourlives]

What is interesting is that both cocaine and methamphetamine are WADA prohibited substances. There's blokes pissing hot for this stuff all the time in the AFL and nothing happens, yet a VFL player gets a two year ban for taking some Sudafed for a cold. Grossly unfair.

And yes, it does appear that the three lads made innocent mistakes, but unfortunately you can't plead ignorance to these things.

I don't know what sort of education is at SANFL/VFL level but i reckon if i was playing there i wouldnt even think twice about what medication i was taking.

[daysofourlives]

You really have to wonder whether these journalists do any research. It's completely unfair to accuse these blokes of taking steroids, when they were only taking OTC supplements containing mild stimulants that help supress appetite.

I bet in the Lees case, he ordered a fat-burning supplement that contained either ephedra or yohimbine, which are both legal in the US, but not here.

Im not up on this stuff at all but what would be the the ramifications if an ammo or country footballer imported this stuff? Is it illegal?
Sounds to me like a very innocent mistake

Looking to get your hands on this product daisy! They say a side effect is it makes ya hair fall out.

Ah so you been on it since you were 18 then

[heater31]

What is interesting is that both cocaine and methamphetamine are WADA prohibited substances. There's blokes pissing hot for this stuff all the time in the AFL and nothing happens, yet a VFL player gets a two year ban for taking some Sudafed for a cold. Grossly unfair.

And yes, it does appear that the three lads made innocent mistakes, but unfortunately you can't plead ignorance to these things.

I don't know what sort of education is at SANFL/VFL level but i reckon if i was playing there i wouldnt even think twice about what medication i was taking.

Nothing more than an education program and an article on a notice board.

Players are expected to ask their doctor if it is ok to take. If the club doctor is issuing then he should know.....

[Jetters]

You really have to wonder whether these journalists do any research. It's completely unfair to accuse these blokes of taking steroids, when they were only taking OTC supplements containing mild stimulants that help supress appetite.

I bet in the Lees case, he ordered a fat-burning supplement that contained either ephedra or yohimbine, which are both legal in the US, but not here.

Im not up on this stuff at all but what would be the the ramifications if an ammo or country footballer imported this stuff? Is it illegal?
Sounds to me like a very innocent mistake

DMAA had been legal in Oz up until a couple of months ago and was a key ingredient in many 'pre-workouts', like Jack3D and Mesomorph. Very popular amongst the gym rats, but a couple of the lads I played footy with this year would put it in a shake before training or games (and I reckon that's a practice a couple of players at every club does) . DMAA was scheduled as an illicit substance after unsubstantiated media hype over people using the pre-workout for a night out on the town (utterly ridiculous) - but it is important to note that it has long been on WADA's list of prohibited substances.

Ephedrine and pseudoephedrine (How many of us have had a cold and popped some sudafed for a game?) are on WADA's prohibited list at certain blood concentrations. AFAIK, the former is illegal in Oz, the latter is restricted.

Yohimbine is derived from Pausinystalia yohimbe. The compound and the plant are illegal (why, why, why?!) in Australia, but not in the rest of the world. A lot of fat-burning, appetite suppressing fitness industry supplements contain it, so when someone buys it over the internet and imports it into Oz, it usually gets seized. I'm unsure of its WADA status.

So what is the rule and ramifications in regards to using WADA prohibited substances within amateur football? I don't know?

Taking pre-workouts before a game or training is a very stupid thing to do in regard to performance, but agree that a few at every club would do it. Taking them before a night out is also pretty common.

The big issue is all the stuff is so unregulated. Many of the ingredients fall narrowly either side of the line of what is legal in society and in sporting associations. What is legal in one country is not in the next and what is ok in one sporting body isn't in another. I think because the supplement industry is so unregulated, some idiot takes 20x the dose of a reasonably safe substance, does some damage to themselves and then the media hypes it up and then it is the easiest option is just to ban the substance.

But atheletes who are playing professional/semi-professional sports should surely know that they are playing with fire when ordering supplements from overseas and should check carefully what they are taking is ok.

[Q.]

Taking pre-workouts before a game or training is a very stupid thing to do in regard to performance, but agree that a few at every club would do it. Taking them before a night out is also pretty common.

I wouldn't say it's stupid, but rather that it's a waste of money. Recreational use is not as common as portrayed.

The big issue is all the stuff is so unregulated. Many of the ingredients fall narrowly either side of the line of what is legal in society and in sporting associations. What is legal in one country is not in the next and what is ok in one sporting body isn't in another. I think because the supplement industry is so unregulated, some idiot takes 20x the dose of a reasonably safe substance, does some damage to themselves and then the media hypes it up and then it is the easiest option is just to ban the substance.

You can't regulate idiocy. I could go down to the chemist now and take 20x the dose of any of the OTC drugs and it be dangerous.

You'd have to take a shit load of pre-workout to harm yourself.

But atheletes who are playing professional/semi-professional sports should surely know that they are playing with fire when ordering supplements from overseas and should check carefully what they are taking is ok.

True. You can't plead ignorance, but these positive tests are so unbelievably trivial the penalties seem really unjust.

[RustyCage]

AFL aspirant Wade Lees' 18-month ban will not be ramped up

AN AFL aspirant’s 18-month ban for importing performance-enhancing drugs will not be ramped up after ASADA opted against launching an appeal.
AFL Victoria slugged VFL star Wade Lees with the suspension from all competitive sport last month, as revealed by the Herald Sun, but Lees feared the anti-drugs body would push for a maximum two-year sanction.

Lees’ lawyer received an email from ASADA on Thursday night, confirming the ban would end on November 10 this year.

The three-year saga cost Lees about $13,000 in legal fees and affected his mental state.

"I’m just glad the whole process is over and I’m looking forward to a big return," he said yesterday, refusing to abandon his AFL dream.

In 2010 the Casey Scorpion ordered a fat-burning product from the US.

The $180 substance contained traces of steroids and was intercepted by Australian Customs, which informed ASADA.

Lees, 24, was then charged with ``attempted use of a prohibited substance violation'' and banned by AFL Victoria after Round 7 last season.

Lees, who nominated for last year’s draft, said he bought the product to help lower his skin folds and compete with AFL midfielders playing in the VFL.

ASADA swiftly appealed Frankston player Matt Clark’s nine-month ban after he failed a drug test he knew was coming.

Since the publicised cases some VFL players and officials have called on AFL Victoria to ramp up its drug education program.

http://www.news.com.au/top-stories/afl-aspirant-wade-lees-18-month-ban-will-not-be-ramped-up/story-e6frfkp9-1226557601184

[Killa]

You really have to wonder whether these journalists do any research. It's completely unfair to accuse these blokes of taking steroids, when they were only taking OTC supplements containing mild stimulants that help supress appetite.

I bet in the Lees case, he ordered a fat-burning supplement that contained either ephedra or yohimbine, which are both legal in the US, but not here.

Im not up on this stuff at all but what would be the the ramifications if an ammo or country footballer imported this stuff? Is it illegal?
Sounds to me like a very innocent mistake

Ramifications for the casual sportsman who take PEDS can attract the same penalty as the pros. All the answers regarding the drug policy for the casual sportsman is in the attached PDF file.

1005_antidoping_flyer_a4_fa.pdf_copy2.pdf

(342.1 KiB) Downloaded 41 times

[Q.]

You really have to wonder whether these journalists do any research. It's completely unfair to accuse these blokes of taking steroids, when they were only taking OTC supplements containing mild stimulants that help supress appetite.

I bet in the Lees case, he ordered a fat-burning supplement that contained either ephedra or yohimbine, which are both legal in the US, but not here.

Im not up on this stuff at all but what would be the the ramifications if an ammo or country footballer imported this stuff? Is it illegal?
Sounds to me like a very innocent mistake

Ramifications for the casual sportsman who take PEDS can attract the same penalty as the pros. All the answers regarding the drug policy for the casual sportsman is in the attached PDF file.

1005_antidoping_flyer_a4_fa.pdf_copy2.pdf

lol, I'm sure they'll be doing heaps of testing of amateur footballers